Refrigerating apparatus and cabinet structure



Jan. 19, 1954 Filed April 6, 1951 L. A. PHlLlPP 2,666,302

REF'RIGERATING APPARATUS AND CABINET STRUCTURE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Jan. 19, 1954 L. A. PHlLlPP REF'RIGERATING APPARATUS AND CABINET STRUCTURE Filed April e, 1951 4 Sheets-S heet 3 IN V EN TOR. L #VEFA/DE F?- PHILIPP I BY ttornzy Patented Jan. 19, 1954 ii V e 2,666,3oz

REFRIGERATIN G APPARATUS AND CABINET STRUCTURE Lawrence A. Philipp, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Nash-Kelvinator Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a. corporation of Maryland Application April (i, 1951, Serial No. 219592 This invention relates generally to refrigerating apparatus and more particularly to household type refrigerators.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved arrangement with a household type of refrigerator cabinet, of a refrigerant motor-compressor unit, and a refrigerant condenser so as to increase the usable food storage space in the cabinet and at the same time maintain accessibility of the unit and condenser and retain ease of assembly of the refrigerator.

Another object of the nvention resides in the provision of a household refrigerating apparatus having an improved arrangement of units thereof including a motor-compressor unit mounted on fin-like reinforcing ribs of a heat dissipating flue member on which is also mounted, a condenser coil interwinding between the fin-like reinforcing rbs.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention s clearly shown.

In the drawings:

.e Fig. 1 is a front View, with parts broken away, of a household refrigerating apparatus embodying features of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional view of the refrigerator, taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fg'. 3 is a fragmentary, horizontal sectional View of the refrigerator, taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a broken; elevational view of a refrigerating condensing element of the refrigerator.

and mounting therefor, taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, horizontal sectional view, similar to Fig. 3, of a modification of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional View of a mounting detail of the condenser element, taken along the line 6-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary, horizontal sectional view of another modification of my refrigerator; and

` Fig. 8 is a fragmentary elevational View of the ref'igerator, taken along the line 8-8 of Fg. 7.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, the refrigerating apparatus shown is of.

the household type having a cabinet, designated generally by the numeral 20. The cabinet 20 may be constructed generally of .a sheet metal casing' 22, and a 'sheet metal liner 24 each ofwhich'is 5 Clams. (Cl. 62-17.4)

preferably box-like in shape. Between the corresponding walls of the cabinet oasing 22 and the liner 24, suitable heat insulation 26 of any of the well known types is preferably provided to decrease heat leakage into the cabinet. A food storage compartment 28, formed by the inner wall surface of the liner 24, preferably extends substantially from top to bottom of the cabinet so as to utilize substantially all of the available space in the cabinet for the storage of food and other things to be refrigerated. An access opening ti) in *the front of the cabinet 20 may be closed by a suitable door 32 which may be hinged, as at 3 3, to one side wall of the cabinet.

Adjacent the bottom of the cabinet 20, the casing rear wall thereof is formed in part by a sheet metal panel 35 which may extend, as in the present Construction, entirely across the width of the cabinet. The panel 35 is formed with a lower a and inwardly offset-portion 36 to provide a rear wall recess, or machinery compartment 38 for partly receivinga refrigerant motor-compressor unit to. As is shown more clearly in Fig. 5, the recess 38 is preferably located substantially midway between the sides of the cabinet.

V At its upper edge, the casing lower rear wall panel 35 has an inwardly oset flange 42which engages behindthe casing upper rear wall panel to be held in place thereby; the offset 42 being: such as to provide a sfiush relationship of the:

upper and lower panels atthe joint thereof. The: lower panel 35 and the adjoining upper panel may be lap welded together at the flush joint thereof or they may be Secured together in any other suitable manner. Along its lower edge, the

casing rear Wall panel 35 may be Secured by screws or by other suitable means to an upturned rear flange 44 of the casing bottom wall, designated by the numeral 45. r V

The liner 24, in spaced relationship to and forwardly of the panel recessed wall portion 36 has a lower rear portion which is angularly disposed, as at 45,' and arranged to extend upwardly and rearwardly from'the cabinet bottom wall in substantially' parallel relationship to an intermediate portion 46 of the recessed panel 35.

At the rear of the cabinet 20 is a heat dissipating refrigerant condenser member and fiue forming channel member 41 which cooperates with the cabinet rear wall and recess 38 to providea fiue 48 for carrying away heat of condensation and heat generated by the motor-compressor unit 40. As shown, the flue forming channel member 47' may extend substantially en- 'tirelyacross the width `'of thecabinet 'and may 3 extend from the bottom of the cabinet partway up the back thereof.

The flue member 41 preferably has a rear wall 50 and integral, oppositely disposed side walls 52. Preferably, the flue member 41 is made of 5 sheet metal. Outturned fianges 53, extending along the: side edges: of the flee member sides 52, may be Secured. by screws orbyothe'r suitabfmeans to the casing 22. In the back wall 50 of the flue member 41, I provide a plurality of hori zontally extending, vertically spaced ribs 54 to reinforce the wall and alsdt'o" furctferr` as reat' dissip-ating fins.

Secured to the inner surtace ofathesflue-mem ber rear wall 50 is a. refrigerait eofdensr con 56, preferably of the Conduit or coil type which together with the fiue member constitutes a refrigerant condenser. As shown more" cfeajflyih'* Fig. 4, the condenser coil 56 is arranged to extentt sinuously up the fiue member rear wall 50 with adjacent coil. runs winding between` the reinforcing ribs 54:to 1ieflatiagainst the inner sur ace of the wall; of the welllknowrhsuitable cements :may be usedtosecure thecondenser coi 5.6.-to; and ingootheatexchange-refetionship-with` the inner surfaceof thefiuemembem One endot the condenser coil %tis-connected to: the motor compressor unit 40 andweather endiofthe eoil 5 Elis inseommunication- :with a rerigerant cooling.

element or eyaporato 60 whicnmay, b located;` 3

in. the :upper regiom of the( storage compartment 28. Asmall diameter; or: capiHa-ry tube l may connect..the.out1et endoflth'e condenser coi1 56 tothe evaporator fl to controlifibw ofrefrigerant thereto ,or any other. suitablerefrigerantLow control device: may, be used., In operationof there rigerating apparatus gaseous refrigerant returns; to, the compressor 407. frommth'e. evaporat'o through, the. conventional return. Conduit. 62.

whence the. refrigerant` delvered to.. the condenser: coi1. -5.6. I

Adjacentthe:bottom of the..condenser member-` increased, Width. a.ndarefiattened as sho wmsse ppsitiomfiategai'nst :the ribs and beswelded orbe otherwise: rigidly secured`;.thereto Themraokets sspincluclel zwer horizontal` legsfilwhich .extend into the srecess. 382: and str add1 the motor-com-- presser` unit4`0 for supportir'g..the` same. !is-; shown more clearly, ina.. Big 6; the horizontalbracketiegs 64 i. may be. .of, general U:-secti}on and; suppertresilint mountir'gs; suchas helicahcoii springs: G`6.. forresi1ently, supportingr -,the motrcompressor.. unit 40.'` Laterally extending supi ports,. suohas anglemembers.fiTg mayrbesweided in `oppositely disposedirelations'hip to mesme `of the-motor compr-essoriunit and theseang .mem-` bers 61 may have horizontals'legsetmseatbnztheupper endsof theepringmountrgs fi&Zasshbwn in Fig..6 I

Each-..of-.the .mount'ing springs 66 islpreferablyi provided; with. :a .Vib'ration dampener 00.' These. vibration ..dampeners 6 8may be made of rubbei' in thevell'knownidrm. ofl 'grommetsand he ws L rigid ;frshippinpumo ee Accessopengs :1 5 2 versing curvature, as at 14, so as to decrease resistance to upward flow of air rising from the meter eemp' 'sse unit 40 to faciiitate removal of'hat from the machinery compartment 38. At theirbottom edges the recessed panel 35 and the w fine' member 4 1 coeperate in forming an air inlet substan-tial-iy the plane of the casing bottom wall.

T He`evapbratr` 60 may be of any suitable well known typ'e, such as the type which has a storage container whose walls are refrigerated by the passingr of reirigerant through passages therein orthroughatibe 'r'cil g'd'het criditng relatibnship" with the cotainerwasg Th'fro'nt' of the evaporator 60 may bcl'dsed by'a suitable' door 167t`o decreaselbs of doldaji-ffrrn" the cfnpart'ment;

lthelwe r regidnofth storage* compartn'i'ert 28? Il'hav'e' sh'ownf cohtairiers which" are suitable for the storage" of"fr`esh` fru'its and' vgetabs: iii'- ch'di'ng ?a pair of tery' pos'i'tio'ed cotairiers ti9n,.as at 94, to conformwith the curvature 'of' the "imer "Wheifbyfi' increase" the' *usable storage cpcitybfth *are-wer.

seribed and therefor like numerals ha'Ve be'e'ri a panel 94-which is secured around its outer pe The recess containing panel [00 may overlap the panel 94 and be welded or be otherwise suitably secured thereto.

From the foregoing description, it will be now understood that I have provided an improved arrangement of a refrigerator cabinet and refrigerant condensing element therefor in the interest of increasing usable storage space in refrigerator cabinets while at the same time retaining the desirable features of accessibility of the condensing element and ease of assembling same with the cabinet. It will further be understood that the fiue panel 50 presents a desirable, large cooling surface for dissipating the heat of condensation and heat otherwise generated by the motor-compressor unit and that the condensing element is carried by the fiue member in a manner to transfer heat eciently thereto and so that the condensing element and. fiue member are readily removable as a unitary structure from the cabinet. In addition, the motor-compressor unit may be readily removed from the fiue panel by merely removing the stop nuts after which the motor-compressor unit may be withdrawn from between its straddling supports. Also, the motor-compressor unit supports are secured directly to fin-like ribs on the flue member so that the supports act to conduct heat to the flue member for dissipation to atmosphere.

Although only a preferred form of the invention has been illustrated, and that form described in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. In a refrigerator, a cabinet having a rear Wall provided with an inwardly directed recess, a refrigerant compressor received within said recess, a panel overlying the cabinet rear wall forming a flue therewith and communicating with said recess, said panel having spaced horizontally extending reinforcing ribs, a refrigerant condenser coil mounted on and to the inner surface of said panel, said coil being sinuously bent and arranged to have horizontal runs respectively disposed in the spaces between said ribs, and vibration dampener mountings supporting said compressor and secured to said reinforcing ribs.

2. In a refrigerator, a cabinet wall having an inwardly directed recess, a fiue forming member overlying said wall in spaced relationship to said recess, a refrigerant compressor positioned in said recess between said wall and said ue forming member, said flue forming member having a plurality of substantially horizontally extending vertically spaced reinforcing ribs, a refrigerant condenser coil attached to the inner surface of said fiue forming member between said flue forming member and said refrigerant compressor, said refrigerant condenser coil extending sinuously between successive reinforcing ribs and being operatively connected to said compressor, a pair of brackets overlying portions of said condenser coil and secured to and flat against said reinforcing ribs, and coil springs interposed between said brackets and said compressor.

3. Refrigerating apparatus comprising, a cabinet having a machine compartment, a flue member overlying said compartment having inwardly directed corrugations, spaced bracket members secured to said inwardly directed corrugations and having portions thereof extended within said compartment, a motor-compressor unit extending into said compartment between said bracket members, supports secured to and on opposite sides of said unit respectively overlying said extended portions, and spring mountings compressed between said portions and said supports resiliently supporting said unit.

4. Refrigerating apparatus comprising, a cabinet having a machine compartment, a singleply flue member overlying said compartment and having inwardly directed corrugations, horizontally spaced bracket means secured directly to said corrugations and having horizontal legs extending inwardly therefrom, a motor-compressor unit extending into said compartment between said horizontal legs, spring mountings on said leg supports secured to and on opposite sides of V tween said wall member and the wall of said cabinet to be cooled by air ascending the flue, said Wall member having spaced horizontally extending reinforcing ribs, a refrigerant condenser coil mounted on and to the inner surface of said wall member, said coil being sinuously bent and arranged to have horizontal runs respectively disposed in the spaces between said reinforcing ribs, and vibration dampener mountings supporting said compressor and secured to said reinforcing ribs.

LAWRENCE A. PHILIPP.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,280,554 Steenstrup Apr. 21, 1942 2,551,514 Truelove et al. May 1, 1951 

